Vehicle-top.



e. DOWDEN. vs mcus TOP APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 19, I916- Patented Nov, 20, 191?.

INVENTOR WITNESSES, '3 I QZyfiBDOZUCZEW,

' ATTORNEY memes-1 earn-e s re PATENT rice. I

enonennnownnn, or DETROIT, MICHIGAN;

vEnxoLE-Tor.

To all whom may concern v Be. it known-that l,-GEonen1B. Downnn, a citizen oftheUnited States, residingat Detro.it,.in thecounty of Wayne and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Vehicle-Tops, of whichthe following is a specificationn;

This invention relates to tops forzautomobilesand other vehicles and has forits'principal object to provide anframeworkwfor such tops which will be self-supporting; and which will be attached at one point only. on .each side of the vehicle to the upper edge thereof. r

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame for a vehicletop whichcan be folded into compact form at the rear of the vehicle and which maybe readily opened out and extended into service use bygone person alone.

A further object ofthe invention5is to provide a vehicle top made offew parts of light material and so connected as to be strongly braced when openedout foruse andwhich will be disposed in compact form when folded. T

WVith these, objects in view, the invention consists of. the construction, combination and arrangementof parts hereinafterdescribed, pointed out inthe claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

. Figure 1 is a side elevation of the top frame extended in position for use onan automobile. a

Fig. 2 is a similar viewoftheframe enlarged, and in folded position.

Fig. 3 is a still larger view of a detail of the invention. 1 a a In the drawings, 10 indicates an automobile body on each side of which near the rear thereof is fastened an upstanding bracket 11 to each of which brackets is pivoted a straight socket 12 that, in open position of the top stands vertically. In the upper ends of the sockets 12 are seated and secured the ends of a bow 13 that extends across the vehicle from side to side, and serves to support and maintain in stretched position, the cover 14 of the top.

Pivoted near the lower ends of each socket 12 is a rearwardly inclined socket 15, the upper ends of which sockets support the ends of the rear bow 16 over which the Speciiicatidn of ietters Patent. Pg tm ted NQV'L i Application filed September 19, 1916. Serial No. 121,044.

cover 141: is folded and extends in the form of a curtain downwardly to the bodyof the vehiclea Fastened rigidly to each socket 12, ashort distance below the upper end thereof, is a collar 17 having cars 18 on the frontside to which is pivoted a flat metal bar 19 that extends forwardly at a slight inclination downwardly from the horizontal, when the 'top is extended. Slidable longitudinally on each socket 12, below the collar 17,is asleeve 20, to ears 21 on the front of which is pivoted a, fiat bar 22 that extends forwardly at a slight upwardinclination and crosses the bar 19 at a point adjacent the center of the length thereof, the two bars being connected by a pivot bolt 23. The bars 19 and 22 are of equal length and extend, when the top is in open position, about half the distance from the sockets 12 to the front end of the top.

Pivoted on the forward end of each bar 19 is a bar 24, each bar terminating nearthe forward end of the top, in a socket 25 into the ends of which sockets are inserted and fastened the ends of the front bow 26. Pivoted to the forward end of each bar :22 is a brace bar 27 that extends downwardly and is pivotedly connected at its forward end to the bar 2% about midway between the how 26 and its pivotal connection 28 with the bar 19.

Journaled on the bolt 29 that pivotally connects the ends of. the bars 22 and 27, is a short socket 30,- there being one of these sockets on each side of the top, into the open upper ends of which are seated the ends of an intermediate bow 31. To maintain the sockets 30 and the bow connecting them in vertical position when the top is opened, and at all other times at equal angular distances from the bars 22 and 27, I provide two spiral or coil springs 32 and 38 on each side of the top, those of one side being connected each at one end to a pin 34 project ing from the side of the socket 30 and their lower ends each connected to a pin in the respective bars 22 and 27. The springs 32 and 33 have the same tension and extend downwardly at an angle to the bars aforesaid so that when the top is extended, these springs form resilient braces for the sockets 30 and hold them in their upstanding vertical positions.

cure the sleeves in place. 'movement of the sleeves will straighten out It will be observed that the bars 19, 22, 24 and 27 form elements of a lazytongsstructure which when in one position, as in'Fig;

1, causes a projection forwardly of the free ends with the how 26 to a relatively great distance from the opposite or fixed ends at. the sockets 12 while the opposite position of these parts, which results from a down: Ward movement of the sleeves 20 on the sockets 12, causes the, various ibars men;

tioned to fold together closely as in Fig. 2, and the several bows 13, 31 and 26 into close proximity between which the coverlat will In this folding operation, the bars '22 and 27, because of their pivotal connection' at 29, are brought close together, the socket 230 however remains at the same relative angular-distance from each because ofthe equal tension of the springs 32 and 33 on opposite sides thereof. This is of great advantage as it holds the sockets with theirconnecting bow-.21 in proper position to support the cover and prevent said parts from swinging out of place when the top is folded and require attention at the time itis to'be opened out. 1

To'open the top from aclosed position, it is only necessary to swing the sockets 12 upwardly into vertical position and then slide or push the sleeves 20 upwardly on the sockets and when they have reached their uppermost position near the collar 17, se-

This upward the several pivotally connected bars and force the front how 26 forward into position above the wind shield 35 of ,the automobile. i

' What I claim is:

l. A vehicle comprising a pair of sockets connected by a bow pivoted at its ends to the V sides of a vehicle, a rearwardly extending arched member pivoted to said sockets, foldablelevers on each side of the topcompris- 'ing 'aplurality of bars pivoted together,one of, said .bars .being pivotally connected to each of said sockets and another pivoted to a connection slidable on" v saidtsock'et, an archedamember fixed toiasaid levers and adapted to be-projectedTforwardly over the vehicle, a socket oi'reachside of thetop .piv-

otedto the p votalricomiectlon between two 11 of sa d. bars, and. spring means for malntainingfisaid pivoted. sockets, at equal relat1-ve angles to said; bars.

.21; Ina vehicle top an arched member pivotally. connectedat its ends to opposi-teisides of the vehicle body, a second arched member pivoted to. the first .near its. lower end and extendingv rearwardly therefrom, a straight bar pivoted to said first arched member on .eachtsi-de of the topya sleeve T slidable'on each sideof the said first arched member, a second straight. bar pivoted on eachsleeveand between its ends toan adjacent firstnamed straight bar, a front arched member pivoted at its 'endsto the front ends'of said firstnamed'straight bar,

a brace, pivoted to the front end of each second-named straight'bar'and to'the front arched me1nber,=- an intermediate, arched member carried by the pivots -joi-nin-g-the second-named bars and the braces, 'anjd oppositely disposed resillent braces connected to said intermediatearched member on each side and to the adjacent straight bars;

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature G. E. FORNSI-IELL, Mrs. G. EIFoR vsHnL-L.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0." 

